Shia of the Rune Nomads
"You do not understand! This is Miia - my daughter!" ~ Shia '' '''Shia of the Rune Nomads' is a female human monk from the geographical region of the Rune Lands and part of one of the multiple human nomadic tribes under the umbrella name - The Rune Nomads. She joined briefly the group later to be known as The Nameless Brotherhood in her gods-given quest of restoring peace in the continent. Her peaceful and bounding personality is said to gather people around her and dissolve personal conflicts. Background Shia originated for a nomadic tribe in the Rune lands, dedicated to the worship and understanding of the gods, with Tu being their patron. They follow strict traditions passed down from hundreds of generations, as well as knowledge and wisdom. Her tribe is also devoted to learning the secrets of the human mind and body. Shia was thus raised in a collectivist and traditionalist society. Unfortunately, she was born blind. However, she learned how to use her weakness as a strength and was one of the best fighters among her peers. Shia was taught never to bring death, but only life. As she grew, she became more and more interested in the world beyond the dessert, fondly listening to the tales of the dwarven merchants she encountered on the rare occasions when visiting their cities. Shia felt the desire to explore the world freely, but of course, her duties as a pious person were a lot more important to her than her own wishes. And so, when the elders of the tribe sensed the great danger approaching this realm, Shia, among few other talented and inspiring youths, was chosen to represent the will of her people and the will of the gods. Thus, Shia ventured into a new world, beyond the Dustshields. For a while, she practiced medicine in the north parts of the Union and the Empire, conducting personal investigations. She became witness of the increased tension between the two factions and discovered the secret of the false gods’ artefacts. Engaging with diverse folk, she met Mirinin and his resistance group. She willingly joined their efforts, seeing as they had the same goal. Character Shia is a human woman of swarthy complexity, with milky green eyes and dark brown hair. She is of age 21, 170cm tall and weights 75kg. She is calm and open-minded, rare to enter in conflicts and quick to resolve them. Shia enjoys the simple beauties in life and appreciates a moment of silence and peace. She seeks the calming presence of nature wherever she goes. Her hatred of violence and death obliges her to prevent them as much as possible, avoiding lethal methods of combat and not consuming meat. She thinks that taking another creature’s life is abhorrent and judges others for doing so. Her lack of sight since birth has made her more sensitive to sounds and motions, as well as better at reading other people’s emotions through the sound of their voices and mannerisms. Shia is an altruistic person, open in her relations with other people. Her religious beliefs do not restrict her from experiencing love and procreating, it’s even the opposite. She is unfazed by being seen sexually and is more than willing to respond accordingly. Powers and Abilities Shia is a prominent martial artist following the Way of Tranquillity monastic tradition. She tends to use unarmed or bludgeoning strikes that deal non-lethal damage, preferring to stun her enemies instead of killing them. She is also a skilled healer. Martial Arts Trained in the way of her people, Shia was told from young age not to use her powers for evil and to be the bringer of justice, not death. Her main weapons are her hands and her walking staff, which she uses to great effect despite being visually impaired. Her main attacks consist of: Flurry of Blows, a barrage of strikes that fall on the enemy in mere seconds; Patient Defence, an unbreakable stance that deflects any strike; Step of the Wind, a quick and agile stepping that helps her disengage with her enemies. Blindsight Her attunement with nature allows her to sense objects and creatures near her without using sight. Her hearing and touching senses have also being honed to an extraordinary extend. Ki-point Strikes With her knowledge of Ki points, Shia is able to stimulate the nerves in a person's body. With a swift strike, she could temporarily freeze the motor functions in one's body or restore its vitality. Summoning familiar Her bond with her spiritual familiar - Mia - is a strong emotional support for Shia. The little sand cat, native to her homeland, was long to be her only companion in her travels and studies. Her obsession with her familiar later let to her abandoning her mission and betraying her friends in her new quest for personal happiness. Parting with The Nameless Brotherhood While in her travels with her companions Gladys, Dustin and Opinor, the group